Press Release

 

Clear® Sets Rules for $500,000 Innovation Prize for Technology to Speed Throughput at Airport Security; Clear CTO: "Proposals Begin to Pour In From Around the World"

 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, FEBRUARY 13, 2008 – Clear®, the fast pass for airport security, today hosted an event at San Francisco International Airport to announce the rules for the $500,000 “Clear Prize” to provide faster security lane technology and to answer questions from participating innovators. Clear will purchase the winning team’s technology in bulk, once approved for use by the Transportation Security Administration at three airports where Clear operates fast pass lanes. The detailed set of rules and standards for applying for the Clear Prize is now available at flyclear.com/innovation.

 

More than 100 innovators from 70 companies – ranging from ambitious start-ups and new entrants to the field, such as EMIT Technologies (a company headquartered in Seattle with research facilities in Clarkston, WA, that has developed a proprietary microwave technology platform), to Trex Enterprises, a large defense contractor – responded to the initial invitation to apply for the $500,000 award. Nearly half gathered today at the Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum at the San Francisco International Airport to hear the criteria for entry announced by Clear chief technology officer, Jason Slibeck, and to ask questions of the Clear team.

 

“We have been overwhelmed by the response to the announcement of the Clear Prize and in fact, proposals have already started to pour in,” said Clear’s chief technology officer, Jason Slibeck.  “Innovators from around the world and from varying backgrounds have contacted Clear and shown interest, which is just what we hoped would happen,” Slibeck added.  “We are confident that the winning solution is out there and we’re looking forward to awarding the prize. I guess,” Slibeck concluded, “that it shouldn’t have been a surprise that so many innovators would be interested – if for no other reason that they, like the rest of us, experience the frustration of airport security every day and have probably given a lot of thought to how to deal with it.”

 

Also on hand were members of the “Clear Prize” Advisory Panel, consisting of chief technology officers and security directors of participating Clear airports.  The panel will assist in the selection of the prize winner.

 

“Orlando International is delighted to participate on the Clear Prize Advisory Panel and applauds this groundbreaking approach to developing real-world solutions to enhance throughput at airport security checkpoints,” said Brigitte Goersch, director of security at Orlando International Airport.  “Orlando was the first airport to partner with Clear and we have been impressed with all of their efforts in the registered traveler program to enhance customer service,” Goersch added.

 

Among other conditions, Clear announced today that innovators will:

• Start their submissions by completing a pre-registration package, and acknowledging the rules of the competition (all available online at flyclear.com/innovation);
• Participate in an initial screening process after which eligible innovations will be invited to undergo additional testing and evaluation;
• Submit their innovations to TSA for approval to deploy at Clear’s lanes in at least three airports;
• Demonstrate that under real-world conditions, their innovations will achieve at least a 15% throughput enhancement, costing less than $0.25 per passenger screened.

About Clear – Clear, operated by Verified Identity Pass, Inc., has signed up over 100,000 travelers nationwide. Clear cards are accepted at 14 U.S. airports (Albany, Cincinnati, Denver, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, LaGuardia (Central Terminal B), Little Rock, New York JFK (Terminals 1, 4 and 7), Newark (Terminal B2), Orlando, Reno, San Francisco, San José, and Westchester). Clear lanes will open in March at Reagan National and Washington Dulles International Airports, and Oakland International Airport. Clear members are pre-screened and provided with a high-tech card that allows them to access designated security lanes nationwide. Clear members pass through the security checkpoint faster, with more predictability and less hassle. The annual fee of $100 (plus a $28 TSA vetting fee) is charged once applicants are approved by the government. Applicants start their enrollment at flyclear.com and complete the process at an enrollment location where their fingerprints and iris images are captured and their identification is validated. Clear has been operational since July 19, 2005. For more information, please visit: flyclear.com.